Stryker Powerload
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Joe
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All I've heard is that it is really expensive. And I don't want to be around when the battery goes dead. We have they power gurneys and there awesome!
Johnnycage17
Forum Ride Along
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The main problems, as mentioned, is the cost of the Stryker cot and the battery issue.
My question is if one person can operate it, like Ferno 28 cot.
My question is if one person can operate it, like Ferno 28 cot.
The apparatus for lifting the stretcher is hard-wired into the ambulance, and has a backup battery, so it won't go dead like stretcher batteries will. And it induction charges the stretcher battery, so that won't be as much of a problem anymore, either.
However... They are very expensive. I think I heard $40K+. Now, if they could invent something to help me lift the patient /on to/ the stretcher, I'd be screaming that it's money well spent. But I'm not so sure here.
However... They are very expensive. I think I heard $40K+. Now, if they could invent something to help me lift the patient /on to/ the stretcher, I'd be screaming that it's money well spent. But I'm not so sure here.
Hunter
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they looks aazing, I hate the cureent powerpros we us, they're much heavier and a pain in the *** sometimes.
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Why does everyone say they are so heavy? They aren't that heavy...
And everyone *****es about the battery life. I've never had a batter die on me.
Like I said in the other thread, the powerload looks cool. My question was how does it work on uneven areas such as hills or a sideways slope?
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First let me say I haven't been on the job that long. With that being said I do not care for the power gurneys. They are heavy and clumbersome. I like a good old fashioned X frame. I do not see the need for a power gurney on 911 responses. I work in the city of San Diego and there is never a shortage of personel @ scene to assist to PT movement. As far as working BLS and doing gurney runs all day, proper lifting techniques and communication with your partner are gonna save your back. IMO the most "back" dangerous part of BLS is "sheeting" from bed to gurney or vise versa. Although there are lift teams and slide boards. In closing my little soapbox session I would like to say the way things are going with lifting systems and powercots us EMS folks will soon be the ones getting hauled of to the ER for obesity and the already too common life of poor diet and lack of exercise from the busy shifts we all work.
Trezmaniandevil
Forum Probie
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I have seen these used
I was just wondering about the weight of these cots and lift systems. Adding on additional weight going up and down stairs makes me think that we have to balance the benefits to the back injuries.
I was just wondering about the weight of these cots and lift systems. Adding on additional weight going up and down stairs makes me think that we have to balance the benefits to the back injuries.
The ALS service I clinical'ed at used these cot's and they worked great, they aren't as heavy as they look but probably heavier then normal cot's. The only thing with them is they eat through batteries kinda fast. For stairs and things though the EMS has the chair lifts they use instead of using the cots to go up and down the stairs, or they hand-carry on backboards to the cot at the bottom depending on the situation.
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You shouldn't be carrying your cot up or down stairs, there's other tools available to us to overcome obstacles like stairs.
I don't remember the number my company said they saved annually since the power cots on workers comp claims related to lifting injuries but it was a pretty decent number.
There are lots of threads on this subject. Check out the "how do you load patients into the ambulance thread"
Ewok Jerky
PA-C
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They are at least 50lbs heavier, this years models even more I think.
We usually have to two-point in an out of the rig due to the increase in weight. To be honest I miss the old ones.
We usually have to two-point in an out of the rig due to the increase in weight. To be honest I miss the old ones.
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Glad you said it this time, I'm going nuts with all the talk about how much of a pain it is to carry the power cots up the stairs. NEWS FLASH: the lightest cot out there is 75 pounds, why would anyone carry it up stairs?!?!
Hunter
Forum Asst. Chief
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Because they are heavy, they're at least 20-30lb heavier add the problem with obesity in this country and I dont wanna turn a 260lb pt into a 290lb patient while I wait the extra 5 seconds for the wheels to come up(YEah it's only 5 seconds but I after your 6th call after barely working 10 hours the work adds up. I've never had a battery die on me either so I can't really complain about that, some of our trucks carry a charger so yeah...
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If you have an X-frame stretcher it's going to take at least 2 seconds for your partner to get the wheels up, if not more. And while you can't avoid that lift, when you're lifting the patient up and down to load height (for the ambulance) and offload height (at your destination), you don't need to lift at all.
traumaluv2011
Forum Lieutenant
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The issues I see with it are costs and maintenance issues. It doesn't seem like a complicated system but say something breaks. The ambulance is down and needs to be repaired. Just my thoughts.
Save money for something useful like new monitors, a new ambulance to replace that 15 year old rig that has squeaky brakes or what not. If you need help lifting a patient, request for additional resources. That should be done in your scene size up so by the time you are ready to move, you will have the resources.
Save money for something useful like new monitors, a new ambulance to replace that 15 year old rig that has squeaky brakes or what not. If you need help lifting a patient, request for additional resources. That should be done in your scene size up so by the time you are ready to move, you will have the resources.
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The first point is a consideration no doubt. However this system could save a service thousands in workman's comp bills alone. Not everyone needs monitors either, I have to shake my head when I see BLS services with a 30k cardiac monitor being used to take BPs and Sp02 readings. Anything that we can do to lessen the number of injuries to EMS providers needs to be considered.
Plus I always seem to leave my special glasses that tell me how much a patient weighs in the truck on calls. More than a few times I've realized that I've needed a lift assist only after the patient has been packaged, it's getting them into the truck that is often the biggest hurdle.
polisciaggie
Forum Crew Member
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We've had them at my service for about two years now and they are amazing! They definitely weigh more than the non-power strykers so running out of battery would suck. However, it flashes a big red light for a couple of uses before it totally dies and I've never had one die on me yet.